Refrigerant applicator



c. A. BOHEMIER Er AL 1,991,784

REFRIGERANT\ APPLI CATOR Feb. 19, 192.5.A

2 'sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1932 3 Char/'s #65e/Lemie@ mire i C. oendu Patented Feb. 19,' 1935 Charles A. Bohmier and Andr C. Attendu,

lMontreal, Quebec, Canada Application July 28, 1932, Serial No. 625,396

18 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerant applicators and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide an applicator adapted to be used for eiciently applying a refrigerant to desired areas of the anatomy and whereby the parts to which the'applications are made are retained at the regular and uniform degree of temperature, which degree may be in accord with predetermined calculation such as the diagnosis of the subject suggests that should be maintained.

In certain anatomical treatments it is necessary to apply a refrigerating agent as for eX- ample upon the head, abdomen, spine and the limbs. Heretofore ice has been commonly used in such applications, the ice being enclosed in bags. This method is deficient in that the parts Aare maintained cool for a short period of time only owing to the fact that the ice melts. Therefore, the ice must b'e .removed` at frequent intervals. It is an object of .the present invention to p rovide apparatus for applying a cooling agent which will maintain the parts at a uniform temperature for an indefinite period of time.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view'of one form of arrangement of the refrigerant applying apparatus.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through one of the units of the applicator.

Figure 3 is a similar view cut on a plane lat a right angle to that upon which Figure 2 is cut.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the applicator. i

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the form .of the applicator as shown in Figure 4 Withparts broken away and partsshown in section.

Figure 6 is an edgevelevational view of the applicator as shown in Figure 5 with parts broken away 'and parts shown in section.

Figure 7 is a detailed longitudinal sectional View of a valve used in conjunction with the applicator.. i

In the form ofthe invention as illustrated in Figures'l to 3 inclusive the same consists of parallel feed and return pipes 1 and 2 throughwhich the refrigerant is passed to the applicators and 'returned to the source of supply. As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the applicators are in the form of a group or battery in order that they may be applied to different areas of the anatomy orto different subjects and at the same t-iine'connected with feed and return pipes serv- 'ing in common to all ofthe applicators. f

It will be' noted that the return pipe 2 is of should be of a material to resist pressure as well substantially greater diameter than the supply pipe owing to the fact that the refrigerant is supplied to the applicators in -liquid form and is returnedto the generator in the form of gas after having been expanded in the lines passing from the supply pipe to' the return 'pipe, which lines include expansion chambers and applicators, as will be hereinafter described. Leading from the supply pipe 1 are oiftake pipes 3, 3 leading to applicator members, and leading from the applicators to the pipe 2 are return pipes 3', 3'. Each of the pipes 3, 3 and 3', 3 is provided with a control valve 4". Valve easings 5 -are connected with the valves 4 by means of couplings 6 of conventional form. Sections of flexible hose 7 are connected at one end with the valve casings 5 and the said hose sections are also connected with ends of-a manifold or coil of pipe 8. The exible hose serve the purpose of conveying the refrigerant to and from the applicator, while permitting the applicator to be freelyI moved about as may be required. All of the external pipes of the system are preferably covered with insulating material. The hose 25 as corrosion caused by the liquid, and are accordingly preferably composed of specially rolled me. tallic flexible tubing rather than of rubber. The tubing in the return lines should be perfectly insulated to prevent condensation, and preferably y covered with one or two layers of insulating material, as felt, which in turn are covered with layers of moisture-proof material, as rubber.l As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the coil or manifold 8 is curved or arched in order that it may be disposed over a portion of the anatomy in close proximity thereto and at the same time spaced therefrom. The coil or manifold 8 islocated under a housing 9 of felt or other suitable insulating material and an arch member 10 is di..- posed over the housing. An adjusting screw 11 is threaded through the arch and passes .through the housing 9.` The lower end of the screw 11 is swivelled in a block or bar 12 which in turn is attached to the intermediate portion of the coil or manifoldv 3. It is apparent that by turning the screw 11 the coil or manifold 8 may be adjusted vertically in order to position the same at a desired distance from the area of the anatomy to which the application is made. A hood 13 is disposed over the housing and the arch and is provided at its-ends with openings 14 which may receive parts of the anatomy of the subject adjacent the area to which the'refrigerating agent is applied. Each coil or manifold 8 is provided 55 dissipation of c 2 with a needle valve 15 which controls the ow of the cooling agent to the coil or manifold.

lIt is apparent that the apparatus described may be used to advantage for applying a refrigerating'agent to several areas of la subject or the different coils or manifolds may be applied to different subjects or patients and thus a number of anatomical areas may be treated simultaneously from the same system of feed and return pipes.

Each valve casing 5 is provided with a vent 16 which lis controlled by a needle valve 1'7. Therefore the refrigerating agent may be bled from vthe valve casing when desired and also air may be permitted to escape from the valve casing as the refrigerating agent enters, thus preventing trapping of undesirable elements. -A reducing sleeve 18 is located in each valve casing 5 and is provided with a nozzle-shaped .end 19 through which the cooling agent may pass and which will have a tendency to speed up the movement of the same. The passage way through the valve casing 5 is controlled by a valve head 20 of conventional form.

In theform of the invention as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 the pipe 8 is in the form of aL doil, the convolution's of which are disposed one above the other so that the structure is in the general form of a cone-shaped head. The coil 8 is surrounded by an envelope 21 of felt or simi- .lar insulating material and the said envelope is encased within a receptacle 22 of said rubber or similar exible material. A portion of this flexible casing extends over the mouth portion of the vapplicator and entirely closesthe refrigerating chamber outlined by the-coils 8. Likewise it will be noted that an inner casing or sheet22a, of material similar to the outer casing 22, is interposed between the coil 8 and the insulation 21.

The valve casing 15 is provided with an expansion chamber 23 through which the refrigerating agent is passed from the hose to the coil. The applicator head as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is particularly adapted to be applied to the head of 'a patient by reason of the shape of the coils 8, or

. the coils may be made in other forms as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 to conform to other portions of the humananatomy. To illustrate, when the head shown in Fig. 6 is applied to the human body the portion of the flexible sheet 22 which extends over the mouth portion of the applicator will flt snugly over the part to which the.

device is applied, and the refrigerating agent is thus permitted to perform its curative effect.

In operation, anyv suitable and well-known refrigerant which will supply cold by evaporation, such as sulphur dioxide or methyl chloride, may

' be'supplied in liquid form from a compressor (not shown) through the supplyv line 1, whence it passes through the offtake passages 3, 3 to applicators which may be at various locations and of various forms in order to fit the various parts of the anatomy according to the requirements of hospital use. The flow of the liquid refrigerant may be controlled by the valves located within the passage 3, 3. Prior to entering each applicator the liquid passes. through the expansion chamber 23, wherein evaporation takes place, thel rate of which, and consequently the degree of coldsupplied to the applicator, may be regulated by means vof the control valve, 15. The coil within each a elicato'r is insulated on to'p by means of felt c e like, to'prevent radiation and old to the surrounding atmosphere, while the rubber casing prevents access of moisture from the surrounding atmosphere or from the body of the patient, thus preventing the accumulation of condensed moisture upon the coil. {Ihe applicator may be moved to any desired position, owing to the flexibility of the connecting pipes 7; and the rubber covering 22 which extends over the mouth of the, applicator as well as over the head thereof is sufficiently resilient to adapt itself to the shape of the part to which the applicator is applied. The chamber occupied bythe cooling coils 8 furnishes the desired therapeutic effect, the degree of which may be regulated according to the requirements of the particular case. Any number of applicators may be simultaneously supplied from a single source of refrigerant, as for example, a number of hospital rooms may be equipped from a central generating system. At the same time the degree of cold to each individual applicator may be regulated according to the requirements of each case undergoing treatment by the use of the control valve 15 which regulates the degree of expansion to the particular applicator, without affecting the other applicators.

After the refrigerant has performed itsfunction it passes out of the applicator in gaseous form through passage 3, and thence through return pipe 2 to the compressor where it is again convertedinto a liquid and passed out through the supply line 1. Preferably the gaslnes are insulated Ato prevent radiation of cold, this being unnecessary the case of the liquid lines,

, Having thus fully described what'is nowconsidered to be the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that various modications other than those specifically mentioned hereinmay be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims;

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerant applicator comprising a coil, a control valve at the entrance end of the coil, flexible hose sections connected with the ends of the coil, coupling valves connected with the hose sections and each of said coupling valves having a valve controlled vent.

2. A refrigerant applicator comprising a coil, a control valve at the entrance end of the coil, flexible hose sections connected with the ends of the coil, coupling valves connected with the hose sections, each Aof said coupling valves having a valve controlled vent and a reducing sleeve 1ocated Within each coupling valve.

3. A refrigerant applicator comprising a coil having a control valve at theentrance end thereof, means -for connecting the ends of the coil with supply and return pipes, a housing disposed ,over the coil, and means for adjusting the coil 5. A refrigerant applicator comprising a coil having a control valve at its entranceenc, means v for connecting the coil with supply and return pipes, a housing disposed over the coil, an arch member disposed over the housing, a screw threaded through the arch member and swivelled to the coil and a hood disposed over the housing and provided at Yits ends with openings located beyond the edges of the coil.-

6. In a refrigeration system, a refrigerant applicator adapted to be applied to a portion of the human anatomy, comprising a coil communicating with refrigerant supply and return pipes,.an expansion chamber located within the applicator and associated with the coil, and a moisture-proof casing surrounding the applicator.

7. A refrigerant applicator comprising a head provided with a mouth portion adapted to be applied to a, portion of the human anatomy, a conical coil for refrigerant mounted within the head, and an outer flexible rubber casing surrounding the head and having a portion extending over the mouth of the applicator.

8. An applicator as set forth in claim 7, wherein insulating material is interposed between the coils andthe outer casing within the head to prevent radiation of cold.

9. A refrigeration applicator comprising a hollow head enclosing a refrigeration chamber and having a mouth portion adapted to be applied to a portion of the human anatomy, a refrigeration coil within the head outlining the refrigeration chamber, and a rubber sheet extending across the mouth portion of the applicator and closing said chamber air and moisture tight.

10. An applicator as set forth in claim 9, wherein an expansion chamber is associated with the refrigeration' coil, and means for regulating the degree of expansion of the refrigerant according to the therapeutic effect desired.

11. An applicator as set forth in claim 9, wherein the coil is insulated from the atmosphere except at said mouth portion.

12. An applicator as set forth in claim 9, in which the rubber sheet forms a portion of a moisture-proof casing surrounding the head of the applicator.

13. A refrigeration applicator comprising a hollow head enclosing a refrigeration chamber having a mouth adapted to be applied to a portion of the human anatomy, a refrigeration coil outlining the refrigeration chamber, a flexible and moisture-proof sheet extending across the mouth portion of the applicator and closing `said chamber air and moisture tight, andan expansion chamber associated with the coil and located within the head of the applicator.

14. A refrigeration applicator comprising a hollow head enclosing a refrigeration chamber having a mouth adapted to be applied to a portion ofthe human anatomy, a refrigeration coil outlining the refrigeration chamber, a flexible and moisture-proof sheet extending across the mouth portion of the applicator and closing said chamber airv and moisture tight, an expansion chamber associated with the coil and ,located within the head of the applicator, and means for regulating the degree of expansion of the refrigerant according to the therapeuticl effect desired.

15. A refrigerant applicator comprising a head provided with a mouth portion adapted to be applied to a portion of the human anatomy, a conical coil for refrigerant mounted within the head, and an outer flexible and moisture-proof casing surrounding the head and having a portion extending over the mouth of the applicator.

16.A refrigeration applicator comprising a hollow head enclosing a refrigeration chamber.

pansion control valve at the entrance end of the coil, said valve having an expansion chamber" connected with the end of the coil, and flexible hose sections connected with the ends of the coil. l18. In a refrigeration system for therapeutic purposes, a plurality of individually movable and individually controlled applicators supplied from a central source of refrigerant, each applicator comprising a coil shaped to conform to a portion of the human anatomy, a manually operable expansion controljgalve at the entrance end of the coil, flexible hose sections connected with the ends of the coil, the control valve having an expansion chamber connected with the coil, and an envelope of moisture-proof material incasing the coil.

CHARLES A. BOHMJER.

ANDR C. ATTENDU. 

